Adding a splash of bright color to a good pattern can transform it into a trout-catching magnet. Tim Cammisa explains why hot spots work and easy ways to make them.
My first experience using a hot spot was on the tried-and-true Pheasant-Tail Nymph. I substituted a hot pink polypropylene wing case for the traditional pheasant-fiber counterpart. Examining it closely, the fly didn’t match any specific insect, but I dutifully placed it in the corner of my box next to the other experimental patterns that often don’t get a fair try on the water. Something, however, drew me to this fly; maybe it was the same force that works on the trout. I tried it and the fish loved it. My frenzy for hot spots had begun!
Hot Spot Wing-Case Pheasant Tail
HOOK: Scud hook, size 14.
BEAD: Gold tungsten.
THREAD: Brown olive, size 12/0 or the finest thread you have.
TAIL: Pheasant tail fibers.
ABDOMEN: Pheasant tail fibers.
RIB: Gold wire.
WING CASE: Hot pink polypropylene yarn.
THORAX: Peacock herl.
LEGS: Pheasant tail fibers.
Watch how to tie a Hot Spot Pheasant Tail Nymph with Barry Ord Clarke here.
Adding hot spots to flies might seem new to you, but they have been used for years, sometimes to imitate the various parts of real insects. For example, Pat Dorsey’s Mercury Cased Caddis Tungsten appears to have a chartreuse hot spot, but this part of the fly really imitates the head of a caddis larva peeking out of its case. And scud imitations sometimes have a little orange in their bodies, making them represent either pregnant or dead crustaceans. Including a fluorescent color on a pattern designed to closely imitate some form of trout food almost goes against logic.
Why would a wary trout ingest such a fly? Perhaps an opportunistic fish is simply seeing if the fly is something good to eat. Or perhaps a hot spot is a triggering mechanism and encourages a trout to strike. Or, as I mentioned earlier, the hot spot may help imitate an insect at a specific stage of development. Put all these reasons together, and it is easy to see why patterns with hot spots trick trout.
Hot Spot Bead Pheasant-Tail
HOOK: Hanak H 400 BL, size 14.
BEAD: Fluorescent orange slotted tungsten.
THREAD: Brown olive, size 12/0 or the finest thread you have.
TAIL: Medium pardo coq de Leon fibers.
ABDOMEN: Pheasant tail fibers.
RIB: Copper wire.
THORAX: Jan Siman Peacock Dubbing (peacock bronze).
A Starting Point for Tying Hot Spots
When tying flies with hot spots, start with patterns you use the most. Hot spots can be beads, body materials, and more. Returning to the Pheasant-Tail Nymph, let’s discuss some ways we can modify this traditional pattern and then discuss other ways to in- corporate hot spots into nymphs.
Have you ever tied a Pheasant-Tail Nymph on a jig hook with a slotted tungsten bead? This type of pattern is often used with Euro nymph-fishing techniques, and it is very effective. This fly rides with the hook point facing up so it snags fewer rocks and debris. Using a fluorescent colored bead is a great way to add a hot spot. If you wish to use a conventional color of bead, there are other ways to add a hot spot to a Pheasant-Tail Nymph.
Mercury Cased Caddis Tungsten
HOOK: Allen Fly Fishing N202, size 14.
BEADS: Silver glass and black tungsten.
THREAD: Fluorescent green, size 12/0 or the finest thread you have.
ABDOMEN: Dark hare’s-ear dubbing.
THORAX: Semperfli Sparkle Dubbing (green olive).
Watch how to tie the Mercury Cased Caddis here.
For example, after tying the tail of the fly, make half-a-dozen wraps using your choice of fluorescent thread. Coating the exposed thread with UV resin protects it from tearing or unraveling. Tying a regular Pheasant-Tail Nymph and then making a few wraps of bright thread behind the bead is a second and more popular method for adding a hot spot. I rarely modify the body material on a Pheasant-Tail Nymph, but a rib of brightly colored wire is anoth-er easy way to add a hot spot.
How many hot spots should a pattern have? Like all things in fly fishing, there is no right answer. Make subtle changes to your favorite patterns. Add one or two hot spots at first and see how the fish respond. Keep experimenting until you find the right combination that works on your waters.
Stealth Mode
HOOK: Hanak H 450 BL, size 14.
BEAD: Silver slotted tungsten.
THREAD: Fluorescent pink, size 12/0 or the finest thread you have.
TAIL: Medium pardo coq de Leon.
BUTT: Thread coated with UV resin.
ABDOMEN: Uni-Mylar (holographic black).
RIB: Bright silver wire.
THORAX: Jan Siman Peacock Dubbing (peacock black).
Watch how to tie the Stealth Mode fly here.
More Materials for Making Hot Spots
Many materials make great hot spots. Glo-Brite thread is a favorite of mine. This fluorescent material comes in an array of bright colors and will fit a tying bobbin. Use Glo-Brite thread for making tags, butts, ribs, and bodies on your flies. I place Glo-Brite in a second bobbin and save it for adding hot spots.
Fluorescent colored dubbing is also great for making hot spots. This mate-rial is perfect for wrapping small collars on many patterns. The popular Frenchie creates the appearance of a natural insect, but a bright collar really grabs the attention of the fish. In addition to fluorescent colors, experiment with shades of orange, red, and insect green. Many dubbings incorporate flash material, and I often select these for making hot spots. Sybai Ice, Hends Micro-Flash, Semperfli Ice, and Hareline Ice Dub are all excellent choices. Just a small quantity of flash adds to the effectiveness of some patterns.
Perdigon
HOOK: Hanak H 450 BL, size 14.
BEAD: Silver slotted tungsten.
THREAD: Fluorescent red, size 12/0 or the finest thread you have.
TAIL: Medium pardo coq de Leon
ABDOMEN: Blue holographic tinsel.
THORAX: Tying thread coated with clear UV resin.
WING CASE: Black UV resin.
Watch how to tie the Perdigon here.
Contrasting Colors As an Option
At first I simply added fluorescent hot spots to determine how the fish would react to these new flies, but other tiers and time on the water have changed my thinking about hot spots. Fly Fishing Team USA member Josh Miller taught me to be more intentional when designing my patterns. In many of his flies, Josh looks for ways to create contrast with hot spots, pairing colors that complement one another. I doubt Josh sits at his tying bench with a color wheel to determine the opposite, complementary colors for his patterns, but I wouldn’t hold it against him if he did!
Hot Butt Pheasant Tail
HOOK: Hanak H 450 BL, size 14.
BEAD: Copper slotted tungsten.
THREAD: Fluorescent pink, size 12/0 or the finest thread you have.
TAIL: Medium pardo coq de Leon.
BUTT: Thread coated with UV resin.
ABDOMEN: Pheasant tail fibers
RIB: Copper wire.
THORAX: Ice Dub (copper).
The bodies of the nymphs we imitate tend to be shades of black, brown, and olive. When tying a black nymph, a complementary hot spot would be pink, chartreuse, or yellow. The complementary hot spot for a brown nymph is blue, turquoise, or orange. And the hot spot for a fly with an olive body would be purple, white, tan, or red.
You don’t have to be a color expert to have success designing fish-catching patterns. Breaking the “contrast rules” is not only allowed but encouraged! Shades of brown and orange are related, yet pairing dark brown with fluorescent orange creates excellent contrast. Experimenting with different materials and color combinations, and taking the time to fish your new flies, is the key.
When to Fish Flies With Hot Spots
Some theories of fly selection relate to matching hot spots to water conditions. For example, since less light penetrates deeper water, fluorescent colors may appear more visible to the trout. For fishing deeper water, I like hot pink, yellow, and orange hot spots. However, when that same water becomes stained from rain, a dark color creates a better silhouette; under this condition, a favorite color combination is black and purple, especially when selecting streamers.
Walt’s Worm Blowtorch
HOOK: Hanak H 450 BL, size 14.
BEAD: Copper slotted tungsten.
THREAD: Fluorescent pink, size 12/0 or the finest thread you have.
TAIL: Glo-Brite (fluorescent fuchsia).
BODY: Hare’s-ear dubbing.
RIB: Sulky Sliver Metallic (pearl). (You may substitute with extra-fine pearl tinsel.)
Watch how to tie Walt’s Worm Blowtorch here.
My personal fly selection varies based on water conditions and time of year. I gravitate toward patterns with fewer and smaller hot spots in late winter and early spring, and increase the size and number of hot spots during the spring and early summer. As the hatches and feeding frenzy of May and June subside, I return to using patterns with fewer hot spots throughout summer, then gradually increase their usage during the fall. This is a general guideline, yet an increase in water flow and decrease in clarity might prompt me to use a fly with multiple hot spots regardless of the time of year.
New materials are always arriving on the fly-tying scene, and I often purchase them in the typical nymph colors: shades of brown, black, and olive. Many fluorescent colors seem over the top, but I encourage you to try them. One of my favorite shades of dubbing is the ugliest fluorescent teal you’ve ever seen, but the fish respond well to it.
Glo Bright Pheasant Tail
HOOK: Hanak H 450 BL, size 14.
BEAD: Copper slotted tungsten.
THREAD: Brown olive, size 12/0 or the finest thread you have.
TAIL: Glo-Brite (fluorescent flame).
ABDOMEN: Pheasant tail fibers.
RIB: Copper wire.
THORAX: Peacock herl.
As UV resins gained in popularity, it was only natural for companies to begin testing fluorescent colors. Solarez recently released Color Resin. Based on my experience with this product, multiple coats create a vibrant appearance. Trust me, when your buddies look in your fly box, they will be immediately drawn to the flies you’ve designed with this new product.
Holographic and Perdigon tinsels have also found a place on my tying bench. These materials give a fly a little sparkle. Some of these tinsels, such as Semperfli Perdigon Body, are translucent so the color of the finished pattern shifts depending upon the color of the thread underbody. A little bit of experimenting at the vise will pay dividends on the water.
Hi-Vis Rib Pheasant Tail
HOOK: Hanak H 450 BL, size 14.
BEAD: Matte black slotted tungsten.
THREAD: Brown olive, size 12/0 or the finest thread you have.
TAIL: Medium pardo coq de Leon fi bers.
BODY: Pheasant tail fibers.
RIB: Pink wire.
THORAX: Ice Dub (copper).
NOTE: Counter-wrapping the rib strengthens the fragile pheasant-fiber body.
While we’ve concentrated on tying nymphs, you can also add hot spots to most of your favorite streamers and wet flies. In many cases you already own the materials you will use. Sure, you can copy proven patterns, but let your creativity guide you at the vise. If you’re drawn to a fly, you’ll be more likely to fish it with confidence. That worked for me with the Hot Spot Pheasant-Tail Nymph, and I haven’t turned back!
